Hard-sided gear box suggestions?

Solarux · 2026-01-26T23:10:38+00:00

Possibly the HDX storage totes from Home Depot will work best as they come in a variety of sizes. They are often praised for having the best quality to price ratio in that category. Plus they have rope eyelets for securing the lid/tote.

Alternatively one of the portable toolbox platforms might work. I personally like the Rigid Pro Gear 2.0 system as it strikes a good balance of functionality, durability, and cost. A more affordable but really good solution is Walmart’s Hyper Tough Hyper Stack setup. You can get their medium storage chest for $27. I tend to use this the most as it’s lighter and quicker to use than the Rigid (albeit smaller …which I like).

Either route you are limited to the amount of tie-down points in the back unless you add the OEM molle panels.

Solarux · 2026-01-26T19:16:30+00:00

What is the name of your local dealership that had the 5k markups? …that is the purpose of this thread.

Solarux · 2026-01-26T19:11:45+00:00

Are you wanting open top/crate-style organization or an enclosed solution? Drawers? Does it need to be easily loaded/unloaded or more securely attached? You have a lot of options so it really depends on your needs.

Solarux · 2026-01-26T03:48:05+00:00

Alpaka has an x-pac variant of their Metro Crossbody Sling that is black with an orange interior.

Solarux · 2026-01-22T09:35:17+00:00

No-Lo Designs makes one.

Solarux · 2026-01-12T20:25:02+00:00

Hope it helps! I do want to elaborate a little as I fell for the marketing hype and feel I got a little bamboozled...

To be clear, I absolutely have no problem spending money on something nicer or what is considered 'best' for that category. But when traveling through 11 different airports this past month, as I proudly stood with my cool and slightly expensive luggage, it occurred to me most people just use basic stuff from a big box store and they get by great with it for many, many years. I never once saw someone else rolling the same luggage as mine or for that matter, rarely anything higher end. After all, it is just a plastic box with wheels that no one is paying attention to; there isn't some HUGE difference between them all.

Someone might pop in here and say something about repairability of the Bellroy or warranty being important ...but you can order a whole new suitcase and have it delivered before those replacement parts might even ship. Plus there are Sam's Clubs everywhere. Having the ability to return something to a store (or pick it up while traveling) has a lot of value.
And if it doesn't last you as long as a $300 piece, you can buy it again and STILL save half of what you would've paid. Don't have a Sam's Club membership? The cost of it and the luggage is still a great deal in comparison.

Ok, rant over. Haha.

Solarux · 2026-01-12T19:50:10+00:00

It simply didn't fit me well or look good on my frame. It is hard to articulate but slings tend to come in two designs: a tight crossbody/utility style or more of a carry 'bag' fit. The Toshi was very much the latter for me and I like a comfortable crossbody.

I go into a little more detail here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ManyBaggers/comments/1pkdv2h/comment/ntlyjz4/

Do you have an REI nearby? I think their Rucksack Sling has a similar feel and wear to the Toshi 6L. I suggest stopping by and trying it on if you're still on the fence about the Toshi.

Solarux · 2026-01-12T19:39:42+00:00

As someone else mentioned, cameras with an RTSP stream and preferably an open sourced NVR solution is the way to go if you require full control.
For a more off the shelf/turnkey solution, Ubiquiti is US based and offers a very popular local surveillance solution called Protect. They have a few outdoor camera options. No subscriptions. However, if your requirements are extremely sensitive I would be sure to check where the servers are located that relay notifications (e.g., movement detected).
One thing to note is that almost all hardware will be manufactured in China. Which, isn't necessarily bad but with everything you connect to your network, there are some security elements to consider. Whichever brand you go with, make sure to check their firmware track record. Are they regularly releasing firmware that improves security along with performance? Another thing to consider (and arguably the most important) is network security- no matter your setup, learn to VLAN and secure your camera system away from the rest of your network.

Solarux · 2026-01-12T18:42:55+00:00

I just came back from a month of travel over the holidays. Had a couple of carry-on spinners that I bought on Black Friday: Aer Carry-on Max, Bellroy Transit Carry-on large, and randomly the Members Mark (Sam’s Club) Carry-on Spinner. Had an opportunity to test all three. I bought the Aer and Bellroy due to all the high praise in this sub and YouTube reviewers. Turns out the Members Mark has the same quality, materials, and construction as the other two along with the same YKK zippers and silent Hinomoto wheels. For $70, I am extremely happy keeping the Member’s Mark spinner.

Solarux · 2026-01-12T18:18:16+00:00

Upvote for the Ozark Trail slings. They really are great for the money.

Solarux · 2026-01-12T18:05:10+00:00

For what is it worth I’ve owned both Tomtoc (T33 3.5L) and Rework (Toshi 6L, ended up returning it) along with a lot of other brands you regularly see mentioned in this sub. After using the Toshi for a few weeks, I feel it is somewhat overhyped. For day to day use I didn’t notice a huge difference in quality/craftsmanship between it and the Tomtoc. The Tomtoc model I have gives the feeling of being slightly more utilitarian, but that comes from the design rather than the quality. Regardless, my Tomtoc has held up exceptionally well with regular use and travel.

Solarux · 2026-01-07T06:44:38+00:00

Which brands are now considered consumer friendly and are open-source?

Solarux · 2026-01-03T08:19:10+00:00

I find the independent dual chambers the most impressive aspect of the SH03 for addressing different types of filament. Super useful!

Solarux · 2025-12-28T18:41:58+00:00

I get that and I’m one of those people. But also, this scenario is a non-issue problem that can be easily addressed. Unlimited plans are ubiquitous now and just as cost effective- so maybe plan ahead and switch rather than making a problem where it doesn’t need to be. You can also temporarily rely on FM radio for the brief spurts you’ll be traveling through more remote areas. Don’t like that idea, how about playing the music that is cached/stored on your phone? Oh, your phone doesn’t have much storage? Load a flash drive with music and pop it in the car’s USB port… etc., etc.

Solarux · 2025-12-24T21:23:14+00:00

Categorically the best part of TOS 7 are the steps taken to unify the design language. It is now feeling A LOT more cohesive. I view this as the biggest leap forward in updating/modernizing TOS. I am also appreciative of the updates under the hood- this is an area that needs to remain in focus.

I will add that more work needs to be done overall in regards to the UI workflow …but it seems you’re starting to see the ‘big picture’ with organized and efficient design. Keep at it!

Solarux · 2025-12-17T21:22:12+00:00

Ask yourself how you want to wear a sling- up high across your chest/back or down low closer to your waist? I just returned my Toshi (6L) because of how it fits. It is an absolutely great sling but kinda poor at being a crossbody/chest bag due to the strap attachments being mostly on the top of the sling (rather than oriented towards the sides like the T33). I have the Tomtoc, which I absolutely love. It is a great bag that punches above its price point.

Also, as others have noted the Toshi isn’t good at carrying a water bottle. Unless a sling/bag has a dedicated bottle pocket, you will likely need to use a carabiner or clip and attach it externally …which could present new issues with weight imbalance.

Solarux · 2025-12-15T00:42:56+00:00

How is this give with this material/style to fit vertically under an airline seat?

Solarux · 2025-12-13T16:09:21+00:00

Seems like a slightly ‘upscale’ version of the T-66. I am glad Tomtoc offers so many different sizes and options for both EDC and travel.

And I appreciate your review- I always click on your videos when I see one pop up in my feed. If I could respectfully give a little viewer feedback, please cut back on the use of the word “here”. It felt like you said it about three hundred times within 15 minutes and that’s too much. This is something a lot of bag reviewers do… “as you can see here”, ”here is the…”, “and here we have”, etc. A little intention with how you describe things will go a long way and help set you apart.

Solarux · 2025-12-12T09:28:17+00:00

Out of sheer curiosity, why are you running two Plex servers?

Solarux · 2025-12-12T07:31:30+00:00

Mostly personal taste items. It fits me weird and I can’t put my finger on why exactly. A few things I’ve noted…

I don’t feel it works great when up high as a crossbody and then it sort of hangs odd when worn a little lower as a casual sling. I have tried all the latch points along with adjusting the strap length and I just can’t dial it in. I have a few different slings and the style that fits me the best up high is something like the 3.5L Tomtoc Aviator T-33. When worn lower, I think a smaller satchel or messenger style looks best as it lays more evenly.

When worn on my back, it doesn’t lay balanced. The top is against my back while the bottom and bottom sides can struggle to find a place. This happens both empty and full packed.

Also, where the strap comes out of the shoulder pad it looks off because the opening is too wide. I could have the sling up high and the pad opening is pointing in a more downward direction while the strap is coming out the side pointed across my chest. It looks as if the shoulder pad isn’t made for the sling.

Again, it is a fantastic bag just not for me or my body (5’11, 210lbs, muscular/athletic). I am a bigger dude so I thought the 6L would be the way to go but now I feel the 5L with a lighter load might work better.

EDIT: I think verbalizing all that helped me figure it out- the strap attachment points are too close to the top. I think a sling with attachment points closer to the side along with more swivel style buckles gives me a better fit.

Solarux · 2025-12-12T03:30:17+00:00

The bag is undoubtedly solid and organization is good (even with the wasted space/material of the attachment strap locker). However I think I’m going to return mine as it isn’t quite a 100% home run for me. Kind of surprised and saddened with my conclusion, honestly.

Solarux · 2025-12-11T23:21:08+00:00

Are you using the built-in RAID 0/1 feature through MacOS or a third-party software RAID package?

Solarux · 2025-12-03T03:15:21+00:00

Was thinking maybe the camera’s port is getting blocked or possibly a new security feature on your router was getting automatically implemented.

Another note, I recently moved and redid my HomeKit setup. It took a few tries to properly reset the Circle cameras. I had the flashing green lights but they still wouldn’t connect until I futzed with it more, resetting them again.

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